Release Party
by Lololova
Summary: Prompt: Imagine this (cover picture) being Kate at one of Castle's release parties and she's pregnant with Lily. Prompt came up when the photo was sent in our Absentia group, so thanks to my fellow Absentiacs xxx


_Prompt: Imagine this (cover picture) being Kate at one of Castle's release parties and she's pregnant with Lily._

 _Prompt came up when the photo was sent in our Absentia group, so thanks to my fellow Absentiacs xxx_

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"And Castle," Kate Beckett said in a warning tone as the limousine they rode started to slow down. "You tell _no one_ , _not a word_ , you understand?" Her voice was stern and her stare deadly. It was pretty clear, she would _kill him_ if he said _anything_.

"I won't, I promised you I wouldn't," Richard Castle promised with his hands held up in surrender. Then he smirked, one of his hands landing on her stomach over her dress. "Both of you."

His thumb circled gently over the little wonder growing in her womb and sent tingles through her body she still wasn't quite used to. She kept her composure and said his name in warning again. Before she could shove his hand away he'd leant down and claimed her lips with his. She _hated_ how easily he could make her melt into him, how his kiss had her hands trembling to the neck of his tuxedo to pull him closer to her. His tongue brushed her lower lip and it was embarrassing how quick she parted her lips in order to let him in. He deepened the kiss while the hand on her belly started massaging her through her dress. His actions pulled out a moan from her throat and, _god_ , she would _kill_ him if he even _thought_ of touching her like that in public. Slowing down the kiss he ended it by pecking her lips several times before pulling away with a smug grin. Narrowing her eyes she grabbed the hand at her belly and pushed it away from her.

"And don't you _dare_ touch my belly tonight."

"M'kay," he said in a bliss and she narrowed her eyes even more. "Promise," he added with a more determined voice, his smile more controlled.

"Mr. Castle, detective Beckett, we're here," the driver interrupted them as they felt the limousine come to a stop.

Kate immediately smoothed down her yellow dress, tried to figure out how to make her bump as invisible as possible. They'd told their friends and family, but she wasn't planning on letting the media know just yet, _it was none of their business anyway_. Lanie had been the one to help her with the dress, had told her there was no way the press would be able to tell she had a bump under there if they didn't know about it beforehand. At first her best friend had tried convincing her she _should_ show, gone on and on about how she should let go and shine and glow, but Kate had been determined not to budge.

"Not a word," she breathed out as her husband held out a hand for her to take to get out of the limo.

He smiled as she got out and the flashes of the cameras were shooting away in their direction. Putting on a smile she'd learned from the years of being his wife, she tried her hardest not to roll her eyes or tug at the dress by her belly at the attention she didn't exactly feel comfortable with. There was a reason she'd chosen to be a cop, and not a model. Castle squeezed her hand and when she glanced at him she could see he knew exactly how she felt about all of this, how much she rather would've stayed at home, sipping wine she couldn't have and cuddle on the couch.

With fingers tangled they set their steps towards the entrance of the release party of the writer's latest novel. The paparazzis kept calling out their names, trying to get their attention to get better pictures of them, and Kate tried not to let her smile falter every time someone called her by the fictional her. Mostly she just tried to ignore them and keep her gaze on the prize, the doors, and she was proud of herself once the two of them got inside and she was sure none of the photos taken would be of her rolling her eyes. The second they got inside Gina met with them and told them where to go, who they needed to talk to first and so on. Kate only listened slightly and followed Rick as he pulled her with him. She said her hello's and made the small talk needed with the people she didn't exactly know, those she actually did know she could talk a little more open with. Though, none of those people would learn she was skipping alcohol for any other reason than her needing to be up early tomorrow. A small lie of course, something Castle had suggested she'd say when she'd told him there was no way she could stand by his side, not drinking champagne without a reason. At first Kate had tried making that the reason for her to skip it all together, but that had of course not worked. He wanted her there, and he'd been an absolute _devil_ having her promising him she would attend at the mercy of his wicked tongue. _That asshole had had her in bed, worked her up so good only to pretty much refuse her release unless she agreed._

"Hey, you okay?" his lips touched the side of her hair, just above her ear, in a move she knew too well. He was hiding the fact that he was talking to her by kissing her head in the process, his way of whispering to her without the people around to know they were trying to steal a moment alone.

She nodded her head, because, _yeah_ , she was good. She was just tired. Apparently, growing a child could do that to people, she'd been tired _a lot_ lately.

"Just tired, when's the earliest we can get out of here?"

He smiled down at her, she'd managed to sneak off her heels sometime during the evening and was currently walking around barefoot, thankful her dress was long enough to hide it. "Just another hour, I promise," his blue eyes hold hers. "I'll give you a foot massage when we're home."

Her lips pulled up and couldn't stop the showing of her teeth. Sticking her tongue out between her teeth she said, "I'll hold you to that." Without any warning he cupped her cheek and smudged his lips onto hers, kissing her in a way she'd strictly told him to never do when they were in the public eye. She felt his other hand land on her hip, teasing the line between her hip and her belly. She shouldn't, _shouldn't_ , encourage him but she couldn't really think and she took his hand, entwined their fingers and held their hands over her belly in a gentle grip. They slowed down the kiss simultaneously, both knowing they were still at an event with a lot of other people, and pulling away they let their foreheads touch. It was the flash that had them both pulling apart as if they'd been burned. With wide eyes Kate searched for the source but to her displeasure she couldn't see anyone with their camera up, or maybe it'd been the flash of a phone camera? There wasn't allowed any paparazzis inside the event but there was still a couple people from the press there with their fancy cameras, but again it could've just been a camera of a phone. The people kept moving around and _where did the bastard go?!_

"Castle?"

"No, I don't know. I can't see anyone," he immediately answered and she looked at him to see he was searching as intensely as she'd been.

"Castle, if they..."

"I know." He took a deep breath, tried to gather himself.

Before they could say anything more Gina came interrupting them, telling them Castle was expected to talk a bit more about his book on the podium for the press. She said something about the press wanting to know a little more and get the chance to ask questions they'd not been able to ask him personally during the whole night. If it was not for the picture she feared was already about to circle the media she would've fought the smirk of knowing her husband had consciously avoided talking to any of the press. Every time one of the journalists had tried talking to him he'd excused himself with a bunch of various reasons, a couple times it'd been to find her since she'd gone to the bathroom or been talking to some of their friends without him.

"Go!" Gina hissed under her breath, a smile planted on her lips, pretending to not look as irritated as she was.

"Yeah, yeah," Castle shrugged and took Kate's hand before she could protest and pulled her with him to get away from the publisher/ex-wife.

Kate kept looking around, but was now schooling her features, putting on that friendly smile she'd learned to keep on her lips when she was at the writer's events. She still couldn't see anyone looking like they'd snapped a picture of the two holding their hands on her belly, no one looked suspicious, no one giving them knowing glances. Sighing she didn't really focus on where she was being dragged to until Castle had made her follow him all the way up to the podium.

"Castle," she breathed out and tried to escape, but before she could he'd planted his arm around her waist, keeping her right next to him as he started to give a small summary about his next book. A new set of cameras flashed on them and Kate tried her best not to look too uncomfortable, she _was_ married to a famous writer and she should be somewhat used to this by now. When he was done Gina appeared on his other side and told the press it was all free to ask questions. Looking at her husband she knew he wanted to kill his publisher, he wanted to be there almost as much as Kate did. He'd told her not that long ago that he didn't enjoy release parties, or any kind of event really, as much as he did before he met her. He'd told her he was much rather spending time at the loft, watching a movie with her or napping.

"Do you have any plans for a next Nikki Heat?" One journalist fired away and Castle chuckled with his charming writer's persona.

"Well, of course. Inspiration hasn't stopped, it strikes every day," he glanced at her with those love doped blues he had sometimes and his fingers squeezed at her hip.

 _God, he needed to stop looking at her like that_. She'd _told_ him to stop looking at her like that, especially in public, when the cameras kept going off. Feeling her cheeks starting to burn she looked away from his blues and tried to compose herself.

"Is detective Beckett and Nikki Heat the same person?"

This time Kate didn't manage to stop the eye roll. How many times hadn't they already answered that question?

"No," Castle said, like he had so many times before. "They are not. Nikki Heat is _inspired_ by Beckett but they are still two complete different persons."

"So, does that mean Nikki Heat won't be pregnant in the next book?"

"Huh?" Kate felt her eyes widen and she immediately looked at the woman who'd asked the question. The woman looked very innocent, _too_ innocent, and it didn't take much before Kate noticed the mischief in her eyes. Suddenly the cameras were all directed towards her, and the journalists were all very loudly asking if she was indeed pregnant.

"I-ah, I will not discuss the future of Nikki Heat, I'm not going to say anything about future books I haven't written yet, don't want to disappoint fans by giving false hope."

What started out a bit shuddering, unsure, but he quickly found back to the famous persona he'd created all those years ago when he started as a writer. There was nothing more Kate wanted to do than check her dress to make sure none of the cameras could catch a photo where her small bump was visible, but she knew that if she did that it would practically be proof of her pregnancy.

"Now, if you don't have any more questions _regarding_ my books," Castle started and turned towards Gina who, _thankfully_ , got his cue and thanked him for his time.

It didn't take long after Gina thanked him and the paparazzis for their time, that the two partners walked off the podium. Without a word the two headed towards the exit. _Always so in sync_ , Kate couldn't help but think as they got out into the night. To Kate's relief there weren't as many paparazzis as there'd been when they got there. To her irritation there were still a few there, snapping photos as they walked down the red carpet towards where their limousine stood. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered when her husband had called the driver but she decided it didn't matter, what mattered was they didn't have to wait out in the open, in front of the cameras, for their limousine to arrive. Castle opened the door for her and held her hand as she jumped into the car.

"I'm sorry," he said the second the door was closed behind him and she sighed with relief. _No more cameras_.

"It's not your fault, babe." She reached for his hand, tangled their fingers as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Well, not really, but I could've listened to you and let you stay home." His lips found her head and she sighed out in exhaustion as the limousine started moving away from the curious paparazzis. "You're more tired than I thought, considering you didn't jump at the journalist when she made the assumption."

"Was taken aback," she defended herself and _when did she close her eyes?_ She opened them in order to look up at him.

"Straight to bed for you," he mumbled, his voice way too amused for her liking, and his free hand landed on her belly. "For both of you," he added with pride.

"Don't think I've forgotten the foot massage." Her tone was a warning one and he chuckled at her, once again kissing her temple.

"I would never," he whispered and leaned his head onto hers.

They rode the rest of the way back to their loft in silence. Kate found herself closing her eyes again, her breathing turning deeper and Castle really didn't want to wake her from her slumber but knew she didn't exactly enjoy having him carry her all the way from the limousine to their home. Especially since they'd come from one of his release parties and there was a chance one of the paparazzis was on the lookout for a shot of them arriving home. He refused to let her go though, held his arm around her waist for the entirety of their walk to the loft. As soon as they were inside Kate immediately set her pace towards their bedroom but before she could get far he caught her hand and turned her back to him with a big smile on his lips. He gently tipped her head with the help of his fingers to her jaw and sweetly kissed her lips. Pulling away he had one of those love doped grins and she couldn't help but smile herself.

"What?" she asked, her hands landing on his hips.

"Nothing, just love you," his voice was smooth and filled with an honesty that had once set her fleeing. But not anymore.

"I love you too," she stood on her toes and kissed him back. Then she grabbed a hold of both of his hands and pulled him with her as she backed towards their bedroom. She let go of him in order to turn to the mirror she had place on top of one of the bureaus and started taking off her earrings. She saw him near her through the reflection in the mirror and therefore wasn't startled when he started kissing her naked shoulders. She sighed in content as she felt his fingers unzipping her dress at her side.

"Let's get you to bed, I got feet to massage," he mumbled as he nibbled at the crook of her neck.

"Mhmm," was all she could get out.

He helped her out of her dress and prevented her from picking up the dress from the floor by gently pushing her towards the bed. Sitting down she was about to fall into the mattress when he stopped her to remove her strapless bra.

"You want my shirt or your own?" he asked as he turned towards the dress on the floor in order to pick it up and throw it, along with her bra, into the washing bin.

"Yours, baby wants yours," she said and when he looked back at her she was smiling big. She was so proud, so, so damn proud. And happy. She was so damn happy too. And she could see her words made him happy, and pride was evident in his blue eyes.

"Okay," he nodded with the pull of a grin in his lips. She observed him as he opened one of his drawers and pulled out a big shirt, the big red one she'd stolen too many times to count. He helped her get into the shirt, buttoning it up with gentle hands, his eyes on hers. When he got to the top button he straightened a little more than necessary to kiss her lips. Their lips moved in the familiar dance, gentle and exciting. "Now lay down, and relax. Sleep tight, Kate," he mumbled against her lips while his fingers travelled down her body.

She laid down and didn't stop the closing of her eyes as his fingers found her aching feet. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have her husband with her. And they were about to expand their small family. She couldn't wait to meet their little baby, to see if the little peanut would be a mix of them both. The dreams she had every night were filled with the three of them doing things she'd honestly never dreamed of doing before. Feeling the magic of her husbands fingers she suddenly decided she didn't give a damn about that picture being released tomorrow, didn't care if the media knew they were expecting a baby. All she needed was right there in that bedroom, and to hell with the media if they wanted a piece of it. It was hers, _theirs_ , and no one could take that away from her.

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 _THE END_

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 _A/N: Thank you so much for reading and hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it! Till next time xxx_


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